December 2006 Wine Tasting Notes:
2003 Lucas & Lewellen Merlot, Santa Barbara County.
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This is a deep, smoky garnet colored wine with a purple edge. The nose shows dominant spice and coffee with plum and dark cherry laced with a hint of chocolate. A light camphor note dissipates quickly with airing. The palate opens with strong coffee notes over loosely-knit dark cherries and plums. This proportion extends into the medium finish of spice and berry. The tannins are youthful and firm making for a solid backbone. Good acidity and moderate but appropriate alcohol complete the hefty structure of this wine. |
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RWB Score: 90 breakdown 14.1% Alcohol $25.00 Retail (from winery); 883 cases produced |
This youthful and bold Merlot is a stand out. In a year punctuated by a few quality varietal Merlots, this one delivers on many levels: The young and vibrant nose is dense and spice dominant. Not that it doesn't have fruit - it does - but it also has that spice/coffee/chocolate character that defines a Merlot. The palate holds its ground as well. This wine, tasted just a few months after bottling, gains some expression with aeration. The tannins are young but not offensive and make for a chewy wine with promise of some longevity. Our advice is to give this wine a year or so in a cellar and then expect it to drink well for at least five years - particularly if you like merlot for its softness and fruitiness. If you like full-bodied, young, very chewy wines, this wine will appeal to you right now. |
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More Lucas&Lewellen reviews More on Santa Barbara County AVA |
100% Los Alamos Vineyard Merlot aged for 20 months in neutral French oak.
Merlot has a flavor profile similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but displays less distinctive and slightly more herbaceous aromas and flavors. Because of its lower tannins and more forward fruit, it is more approachable than Cabernet Sauvignon. Although it is beloved by many for its approachability and is a dominant part of California and Bordeaux red wines, Merlot is fickle about its weather: it requires a moderate and dry growing region and climate to be at its best. Merlot shows more of the green and herbaceous characteristics when either under- or over- ripe.
2003 was challenging to wine growers all over the state. Recurring unseasonable weather resulted in a smaller yield. Summer cool spells delayed maturation in other regions. Early autumn rains followed by cooler temperatures affected ripening and delayed harvest for other growers. This resulted in a leaner crop. Much of this is reflected in this year's Merlot offerings. It is precisely because the Lucas & Lewellen 2003 Merlot is, in large part, able to escape the trappings of this tough year that make it a stand out.
The Los Alamos Valley Vineyard is over a mile long, and runs along Highway 101 south of Los Alamos. This vineyard is planted with Rhône, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Italian varieties. Some of the vines, originating from cuttings brought over from Europe, are over 25 years old. The fruit from this vineyards is highly sought-after by many winemakers.
Louis Lucas is a key figure in Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County viticulture as one of the area's first commercial wine grape growers. Along with a handful other growers, he has become an iconoclast of Central Coast Viticulture. Coming from a grape growing family in the Bakersfield area, he came to Santa Barbara County in 1970 when he formed Tepusquet Vineyards with his brother George and partner Alfred Gagnon. Through a passionate pursuit of knowledge he broke many long accepted rues of viticulture and defined many new ones for the Central Coast. Royce Lewellen, a retired judge joined forces in 1996 and Lucas & Lewellen have been making wines together since. Their wines sourced from their 30+ year-old vines wines have been winning awards for a long time. Their vineyards are located in Santa Maria, Los Alamos and Santa Ynez Valleys. Daniel Gehrs is the winemaker at Lucas & Lewellen. Another prominent figure in the world of Santa Barbara wine, he consults to many wineries in the area and produces wines under his own label.
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5 points |
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Nose |
4 points |
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Palate |
3 points |
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Finish |
3 points |
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Tannins |
5 points |
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Acidity |
5 points |
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Alcohol |
4 points |
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Aging potential |
3 points |
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Overall quality |
8 points |
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